European Parliament Delegation Visits Georgia

Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze met with the European Parliament delegation led by the Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), David Mcallister in Tbilisi on May 24.

Various aspects of the Georgia-EU cooperation and reforms implemented by Georgia were discussed during the meeting. These issues included the Georgian government’s six-point plan designed to facilitate the introduction of EU standards, progress in the implementation of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA), and the preparation of the fifth Eastern Partnership summit to be held on November 24 in Brussels.

The Georgian Foreign Minister expressed hope that the upcoming Eastern Partnership summit would set forth plans and initiatives for further integration with the EU.

According to the Georgian Foreign Ministry, “special attention during the meeting was paid to the situation in Georgia’s occupied territories and the European Union’s role in ensuring security on the ground,” as well as to the importance of ensuring that all residents of Georgia’s occupied territories benefit from Georgia’s European integration. Mikheil Janelidze expressed his gratitude for the European Union’s “firm support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.”

The European Parliament delegation also had a dinner with Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili and discussed the issues of Georgia’s European integration. The meeting was attended by Georgian National Security Council Secretary, David Rakviashvili and Head of the President’s Administration, Giorgi Abashishvili.

The AFET delegation included members of various political groups within the European Parliament.